Thursday, September 20, 2012


Hello everyone. I am sitting in the back yard of the Alburgue wherewe 
are staying in Belorado. Thank you Gerri Myers for the suggestion of 
this alburgue called Cuatro Cantones.  It is a beautiful place with 
a restaurant as well and from the smells coming from the kitchen a 
good one.  When you are walking every day and depending  on the 
kindness of other pilgrims and the local villagers and life flows 
in a generous way you become tuned in and aware of the small gifts.
This might sound silly  but today a gift showed up through good 
ole ATT my phone provider.  I' ve been having trouble with my phone
working in a consistent manner but today she came through. 
We had a long day today of about 14.2 miles  through rolling 
golden cut wheat fields and sunflower fields ready for harvest
but it was also on dirt gravel track parallel to a big  highway
similiar To 81 and in full sun.   We decided we would stop at a 
village before Belorado called Vilamayor del Rio but there were no
available alburgues.  We stopped at an upscale restaurant that also 
sells local food and art where we came in contact with our first rude
local.  Maybe he figured by looking at us that we were not going to 
be big ticket customers.  He was rude however the food was awesome. 
I had a tomato onion tuna salad no lettuce with olive oil and it was 
the biggest tomato i've ever seen.  I mean it was the size of a melon.
Mmmmmm   And fresh squeezed orange juice so full of pulp it was like 
rocket fuel for my energy.  Anyway. Back to my story. While at this 
restaurant i decided to try to call the Refugio AGAIN as I was not 
successful in earlier attempts.  Here is the Camino gift.  I got through, 
he had 3 spots and we were in !!!!!   Sometimes if you don't get into 
town by 2 or 3 the choices for a nice place to stay diminishes and you
end up Ina place that is minimal at best.    Well the funny part of all 
this is we are staying in a private room. Gay Connie and I on mattresses
on the floor , but get this, it's the massage room!! How synchronistic 
us that?   It smells great and I've been sniffing the potions but I think 
they are only mSaage oils and not hallucinogenic.   When i get to Santiago
and don't have to carry everything win me I'm going shopping for some 
Spanish potions. So that's my story.  Gay and Connie went off to the 
pharmacy to get some help for Connie's feet she has a nasty blister 
blooming. I have red feet and a small hot spot on one toe but so far 
so good. Last evening in Santo Domingo they had a festival celebrating
the culmination of a week of festivals in the region honoring the wine 
harvest. There were people roaming about the streets everywhere with a 
wandering brass band playing what sounded to me like German polka music. 
In fact one German friend and I attempted a polka.  They were handing 
out free sausages and the men were swilling wine from glass pitchers
with a thin spout. I got pictures of all of it.  Check out the rooster
and chicken myth of santo Domingo on line.  They really do keep a coop
and have the cock crow in the church.   Because we had such a late lunch
today we will probably snack for dinner.   They offer a  pilgrim meal here 
tonite  as a community dinner but they were full when we got here. Tomorrow 
might be a light day as we haven't had one since we started and today was our
14th day of walking. If we walk the suggested route tomorrow it would be a 
total of 15 miles over some high elevation so we will more than likely divide 
it up.  I will close for now. Oh I am soooo into cafe con leche.  How  can
I ever drink coffee with cold milk again?    Love to you and and as always
I carry you all in my heart.   Camille on the Camino oh at the festival
I walked around the corner into the plaza and It was full of kids jumping 
in those big inflatable jumping things we have at festivals.  I love the 
similarities of our lives. Bit is truly a small world and heartfelt
connection is the binding thread.  Bye for now.  
 

2 comments:

  1. So glad you got into Cuatro Cantones. Is it still just 5E a night? Your idea of dividing tomorrow's route in half is good as I would avoid St. Juan de Ortega. It does not have the best of reputations hygiene-wise. So, enjoy a short day; you've earned it!

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  2. Melon sized tomatoes??? Wow. I want one of those. Take care of your feet! A shorter day tomorrow sounds like just the right thing. You don't want a full fledged blister. A rude man? My. That has to unusual. Maybe he was just having a lousy day. :) Maybe you made it a tad better? Be well, be safe, thinking of you every step of the way. Love and blessings, big and small. :) Rob

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